Calzona short stories
by englishstrawbie
Summary: A series of Calzona drabbles between 200 and 1,000 words each.
1. Just Like Us

Snow had fallen unexpectedly, cancelling all flights out of Sea-Tac and leaving Callie stranded in Seattle. Arizona's invitation to crash on her sofa had been an innocent one. She figured they would put Sofia to bed, make pleasant conversation, and end the evening early.

They didn't intend for it to happen.

One bottle of wine turned into two, then three. It was Callie's fault, Arizona reasoned the next morning. She wanted to know about Owen and Amelia, and Meredith and Riggs.

"He'll never love anyone the way he loved Cristina," Callie lamented.

"Derek will always be the one."

Maybe it was the wine. Maybe it was the fact that every relationship she'd had in the last two years had never come close to the way she had felt when she was with Callie.

"Just like us."

It was barely a whisper, but the moment the words were out of her mouth she could feel Callie's piercing gaze on her, and she blushed.

"I mean…"

"I know what you mean."

It was a matter of seconds before their lips met in a desperate kiss. Hands grasped, bodies moulded together; every sensation feeling familiar and new at the same time.

They didn't intend for it to happen, but they should have seen it coming.


	2. Dance It Out

Arizona arrives late to the party and slips in unnoticed. Richard and Catherine hold centre stage and she watches them spin around the dance floor, their goofiness and carefree attitude immediately transporting her back to her own wedding day. A heaviness settles on her chest and she searches out her ex-wife who moves around the room chatting to friends and colleagues with ease. Her black dress clings in all the right places and Arizona's eyes sweep her up and down unabashedly.

Callie feels herself being watched and her attention wanders from the conversation she is holding until she notices Arizona watching her from the bar. She catches her eye and they share a wistful smile. Making her excuses, Callie walks across the room and accepts the glass of champagne that Arizona offers her.

"Crazy day, huh?"

Callie nods and turns on her heel. They stand side by side surveying the bride and groom.

"They look happy, don't they?" Callie muses. She remembers that feeling; wonders if she'll ever experience anything as close to it again. She hears Arizona sigh beside her and knows she's thinking the same thing.

In one swift movement, she steals Arizona's glass from her hand and places it on the bar next to her own. "We're dancing," she declares, taking Arizona's hand and pulling her towards the middle of the room.

They twist and twirl in time with the music; dancing and laughing, and letting themselves feel the love and lust that they had pushed away for so long. When the evening ends, Callie keeps Arizona's hand in hers as she calls a cab.

"Let's go home."


	3. Missing You

It's almost 9.00pm when Arizona settles on the sofa and picks up her cellphone. Callie answers on the first ring. "Is Sofia okay?" she wants to know.

"She's fine," Arizona reassures her. "Her flight was good and she said the chaperone was lovely. We watched a movie, ate too much ice-cream and now she's in bed."

Silence falls between them and Arizona knows Callie is wondering why she called. She pictures her in New York, happy and relaxed in her new life; dark curls framing her face and eyebrows raised as she waits for Arizona to say what's on her mind.

She has all these thoughts in her head that she wants to share with her - about Baby George, Baby Cristina and Baby Izzie; about the way Mark has been in her head all day since her conversation with Liza. Because Callie is the one who will understand, except Callie isn't that person to her any more and it's moments like these that make the aching come back.

"Sofia misses you," Arizona says eventually. " _I_ miss you and I've had one of those days where I just wanted to hear your voice."

Silence falls again, leaving Arizona to wonder what Callie thinks about her confession.

"Arizona?"

"Yeah?"

"I miss you too. And I'm really glad you called."


	4. I love you god damn it!

Arizona had barely opened the door before Callie came crashing through it.

"Hey!" she tried to object, but Callie was already there, in her house, pacing up and down with a look of determination on her face as if she wasn't going to leave until she'd said what was on her mind.

"Do you remember when you went to Africa?" We were in the middle of the airport and it felt like we were falling apart, and you thought it was the right thing to do. You thought that I would be happy if I stayed in Seattle and you would be happy over there. Except you were wrong, and we were apart and miserable. And eventually you came back."

"Okay," Arizona said, confused by the unexpected trip into their past. "Callie...?"

"New York," Callie interrupted. "New York was my Africa. I felt like we were constantly falling apart and walking away was the right thing to do. I met someone else and I convinced myself that I could fall in love with her. I thought that if I went to New York and I could make it work, I could make everyone believe - I could make _myself_ believe - that I was over you, that I had really moved on. Except I'm not - I haven't. So I came back from New York because..."

Arizona felt her heart beating faster in her chest. "Because?"

"Because I love you god damn it!"

Her words hung in the air, the adrenaline that had been pumping through her suddenly disappearing as Arizona stared at her, taking it all in. Callie felt herself starting to panic and she opened her mouth to apologise for the intrusion, only stopping when she saw a wide smile spread across Arizona's face.


	5. I Could Hold You Forever

Callie is the one to tell her about Derek.

The grief is written all over her face and Arizona knows in an instance that she has bad news to share.

"Sofia's fine," Callie answers her question before it's out of her mouth. "It… there was a car accident… Derek…"

Arizona doesn't believe her. Won't believe her.

"No! Derek Shepherd got shot and lived. Derek Shepherd fell out of the sky in a plane and lived. Derek Shepherd does not die in a car accident."

This could not be happening again.

* * *

Arizona lies in bed refusing to go to sleep. She knows if she sleeps, she'll dream; and she knows if she dreams, she'll be back in those woods, with a broken airplane scattered around her.

Her door is open so that she can listen out for Sofia, but all she can hear is Callie sobbing in the spare room. She can't bear it. Not bothering with her prosthetic, she grabs the crutches that she keeps by her bed for emergencies and makes her way across the hallway. Callie's door is ajar and she nudges it further open. The light shines on to the bed and illuminates Callie's body. She's curled up on one side and, as Arizona hobbles forwards to sit beside her, she rolls over to expose her tear-stained cheeks.

"I don't understand," Callie whimpers. "George, Lexie, Mark… now Derek. Who's next? April? Bailey? The Chief? What if… what if it's you - or Sofia…"

Her chest heaves and Arizona reaches out to her. "Don't… don't…"

She presses her lips against Callie's, silencing her cries. She keeps her face close, their foreheads resting together. "Don't," she says more forcefully this time.

Callie's hands slip around her waist and she pulls her into her body. "Stay with me," she pleads "Hold on to me tonight, please."

"Oh Calliope," Arizona sighs. "I could hold you forever."


	6. Are You Okay?

Arizona stands frozen in the middle of the ER. Her eyes are fixated on the patient in front of her who screams in pain because of his severed leg. Somewhere in the room a woman's voice calls out for her family, while beside her someone's chest is being cracked open.

She can't move. She barely notices the doctors and nurses that rush around her. Her head is back in those woods and her chest feels heavy as she remembers how cold and scared she had been. Her left leg aches, even though it's not there any more, and her body starts to tremble.

It is only when she feels a warm hand on the small of her back that she is pulled out of her trance.

"Are you okay?"

She opens her mouth to speak but no words come out. All she can do is shake her head.

Callie's hand slips around her waist. "Come with me," she says softly. She supports Arizona's body weight as she leads them towards an empty room, guiding Arizona to a chair before hooking her foot around a stool and wheeling it closer so that she can sit down opposite her.

"There was a plane crash…" Arizona mutters.

"Breathe," Callie instructs her. "Arizona, just breathe. You're okay. It's not you."

"It's not me," Arizona repeats.

"It's not you." Callie cups her face gently and encourages her to meet her eyes. "It's not you, you're okay."

"I'm okay."

Callie nods, her thumb lightly stroking Arizona's cheek. "You're okay," she says again.

"I'm okay."

There is a sudden clatter outside the door as an intern collides with a gurney and Arizona jumps from her seat in surprise. As soon as she bears weight on her prosthetic, she buckles and Callie moves quickly to catch her before she falls.

"I've got you," she murmurs, holding her close. "I've got you. Just breathe."

Arizona buries her head in Callie's chest, her eyes full of tears. "It's all in my head… the plane, Lexie and Mark. I can't make it stop."

"I know," Callie says gently.

"And my leg hurts."

Callie holds her until her body is calm before guiding her to her chair once again. "Look at me. Hey, look at me."

Arizona lifts her eyes, her cheeks flushed.

"You want me to stab your foot?"

She smiles as she says it, but she'll do it if that's what Arizona needs. Her question has the desired effect as Arizona lets out a small laugh.

"No. It's not so bad now."

"What do you need?"

Arizona stares at her, not knowing how to answer that question. She needs for it to have never happened. She needs to go back to when they were happy and weren't weighed down by the hurt and anger of their mistakes.

"Maybe you should go home," Callie suggests when Arizona doesn't respond.

Arizona immediately shakes her head. "I can't. OB is full of moms-to-be. Did you hear that the plane crashed into a pre-natal yoga class? I mean, what are the chances of that?"

Callie's brow furrows with concern. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I mean… it's not me and I'm okay, right?"

Callie smiles. "Right."

She stands up and holds out her hand. Arizona accepts it gratefully and stands up.

"Thank you for looking out for me, Callie."

"Any time. I'm here if you need me, alright?"

A wave of sadness passes through her and Arizona is sure it shows on her face. "You don't have to. It's not your job any more."

"Today it is," Callie says resolutely. "And tomorrow, if you need me - and the day after that, and the day after that. Just because we… because I…" she sighs, struggling to find her words. "No matter what, I will always be here when you need me."

Arizona tips her head and studies the sincerity on Callie's face. Taking a step forward, she holds on to the lapel of Callie's lab coat and leans in to kiss her cheek lightly. She lingers for longer than she should before stepping away, not trusting herself.

"I wish…"

She trails off. The words don't need to be said.

"Me too," Callie replies, reciprocating the gesture by pressing her lips against Arizona's forehead.

"I'd better go," Arizona says, pulling herself away and walking towards the door.

She pauses when she gets there and turns around.

"Are _you_ okay? Because there was a plane crash and there are people out there whose families are missing. And you know how that feels."

Callie nods. "I'm okay. It's not you. You're okay and so I'm okay."

Arizona smiles. "I'm okay."


	7. One More Sleep 'Til Christmas

Callie sits in the seat by the window overlooking the park. It's one of her favourite things about their New York apartment. It's almost four o'clock and the sun is going down, leaving a dusky pink hue over the city below. The ground is a bright white where the snow settled earlier this afternoon, but it doesn't stop the city's dwellers from rushing around to get their last minute gifts.

Their tree stands majestically in the corner, coloured lights twinkling and decorations hanging haphazardly. They had been more interested in dancing to Christmas songs than worrying about a perfectly balanced tree, and that's exactly how she likes it. It's the perfect representation of her family.

The apartment is quiet. She used to love it that way, but the last few months have reminded her how much better life is when she's surrounded by noise and chaos.

Her daughter chooses that moment to come crashing out of her bedroom.

"Mama!" she calls out. "Found it!"

Sofia rushes up to Callie and thrusts the DVD in her face. "Can we watch it now? Please?!"

"Sure," Callie answers. They have watched _The Muppet Christmas Carol_ every Christmas Eve since Sofia was two years' old, a tradition that they almost couldn't enjoy this year when they realised the DVD had been buried deep in one of the many boxes that filled the apartment.

As Sofia sets up the movie to play, Callie moves to the sofa and pulls a blanket over her legs. She holds one end out and Sofia curls up beside her. As Kermit's face appears on the screen, Callie snatches the remote from the young girl's hand and pauses the image.

"You know, I think we've forgotten something," she says, twisting her mouth playfully.

Sofia grins up at her and nods.

"MOMMY!"

Callie winces at the assault on her ear.

"You're never going to be packed by the 28th at this rate," Arizona grumbles as she emerges from Sofia's bedroom.

"We still have a few more days," Callie says nonchalantly. "Come and watch the movie."

Arizona stands in the doorway and smiles at the two pairs of identical eyes beaming up at her. Callie holds out the other end of the blanket and gestures for her to join them. She complies easily, accepting the arm that Callie slings over her shoulders and snuggling in close.

"As happy as I am that you're coming home, I'm gonna miss this apartment," Arizona muses.

"We could have extended the lease, kept it as a holiday home."

Arizona looks across at her and shakes her head. "No. I don't want you to have an excuse to leave Seattle ever again."

Callie smiles. She leans in and their lips meet in a tender kiss.

"Mommies!" Sofia whines. "Can we watch the movie now, pleeaase?"

"Yes, Miss Bossy Pants," Callie teases, hitting play on the remote.

Beside her, Arizona rests her head on her shoulder. Underneath the blankets, Callie's hand rests on her thigh and she squeezes it gently. They all fall silent as the movie plays. As Kermit sings about magic in the air, she can't help but agree. It was going to be the best Christmas they'd ever had.


	8. You are sick, Arizona

Callie arrives 20 minutes after Sofia's frantic phone call. The young girl answers the door cautiously – after all, she's not supposed to open the door without her Mommy being nearby – and as soon as she sees Callie, she runs into her open arms.

"Hi baby," Callie greets her, squeezing her tightly before kneeling in front of her. "Where's Mommy?"

"Upstairs in her bathroom," Sofia answers. Her eyes are wide with fright. "Is she gonna be okay?"

Callie smiles gently. "Yes, of course she is, baby," she answers. "It's just a stomach bug. Zola's Aunt Amelia had it a few days ago and she's all better now."

Sofia looks sceptical, so Callie tries a change of subject.

"Did you finish your homework yet?"

Sofia nods. "Mommy was gonna check my math."

"Good girl," Callie says. "That means you get 30 minutes of tv before bed time."

Sofia's face lights up. "Can I watch _Moana_?"

"You sure can," Callie says. "Why don't you watch a bit while I go see Mommy, then I'll check your homework."

As Sofia settles on the sofa, Callie pours a glass of water and makes her way upstairs. She creeps into Arizona's bedroom, places the glass beside the bed, and pauses outside the bathroom door. It's quiet. She knocks before slowly pushing the door open.

"Arizona?"

Her ex-wife is sat on the floor next to the toilet, her cheeks flushed and her clothes soaked in sweat. She opens her eyes as Callie steps into the small space.

"What are you doing here?" she croaks.

"Sofia called me. She was worried about you," Callie answers. She grabs a towel from the back of the door and puts it under the cold tap. "You look terrible."

Despite how awful she feels, Arizona laughs at her blunt words. Callie crouches on the floor beside her and presses the wet towel against her face. Arizona lets out a small, appreciative whimper at the cool temperature and closes her eyes again.

"You're burning up," Callie observes. "Why didn't you tell me you were getting sick?"

"I didn't see it coming."

Callie's eyebrows arch in surprise. Arizona has always boasted about her freakish ability to know exactly when she's going to become ill. It unnerves her a little.

Arizona opens her eyes again and tips her head to one side as she looks at the woman in front of her. Her make-up is fresh, her eyes a smoky grey and her dark hair curled in ringlets around her shoulders.

"You look very pretty tonight," she comments, causing Callie to blush. "Who's the lucky girl?"

Callie tries to brush it off. "No-one."

"Liar," Arizona says knowingly. She tries to raise a smile but the truth is that it hurts. "You didn't have to leave your date for me."

"Yes, I did," Callie says defiantly. "Family comes first."

It's a strange concept to both of them to see themselves as a family, but they are – forever connected by the six-year-old downstairs.

Arizona frowns suddenly, thinking back to Callie's earlier comment. "Is Sofia okay?"

"She's fine. She's downstairs watching _Moana_ ," Callie reassures her.

"I said I'd help her with her homework," Arizona says, frustrated by her own illness.

"I can do that," Callie offers. "You need to rest. Do you think you can stand up and make it to bed?"

"I don't know, moving makes me nauseous," Arizona says.

"Well, let's try," Callie suggests.

She holds out her arm and Arizona grasps it tightly, letting Callie's strength lift her onto her feet. Callie guides her into the bedroom and she sits on the edge of the bed, her shoulders slumped in exhaustion.

"Pyjamas?"

"Bottom drawer," Arizona says, pointing to the tall set of drawers.

Callie finds a clean set and brings them over. "Shall I… um, I mean, do you need help getting changed?"

"No, I can do it," Arizona answers.

Callie is not convinced but she steps away and turns round, giving Arizona some privacy. The awkward silence is filled by Arizona's heavy breathing as she struggles to undress. Callie fidgets, desperate to help but knowing too well that Arizona would not want her to.

"Everything okay?" she asks eventually.

"I… no. Callie, I need your help," Arizona says despondently.

Callie turns around. She wears a vest top, but her sweatpants have fallen to the floor and she is visibly too weak to lean down to pick them up.

"Here, I got them," Callie says, dashing over. She bites her lip. "I'm going to take your leg off first, okay?"

Too tired to object, Arizona nods, a solitary tear trickling down her cheek. "I hate that you're seeing me like this again," she says quietly, almost a whisper. "So helpless."

"You are not helpless, you are sick, Arizona," Callie berates her. She pulls off her prosthetic and leans it against the wall behind her, then picks up the sweatpants and pulls them up Arizona's legs. She lets Arizona do the rest as she shuffles backwards and crawls under the sheets.

"Here, I brought you some water," Callie says. "Do you want anything else?"

"No, just sleep," Arizona says, closing her eyes.

"I'll be downstairs if you need me, okay?" Callie says, smoothing her hair out of her eyes.

"What about your date?" Arizona asks.

"Family comes first," Callie repeats. "I'm not going anywhere. Get some rest, it should pass in the next 24 hours. I'll be here to take care of you and Sofia until you're better."

The forthright tone of her voice tells Arizona that there's no point in arguing. Her eyelids are heavy and, as Callie strokes her hair, it's only a matter of minutes before she is fast asleep. Callie stays by her side, watching her chest rise up and down in a steady rhythm, until she is certain that she is at peace.

Family came first and always would.


	9. Morning Surprises

Arizona wakes early. She doesn't need to open her eyes to know that it's still dark. Her eyelids are heavy, her body tired, and she keeps her eyes closed, firing up her other senses first. She can hear the soft thud of raindrops against the window, muffled by the thick curtains, responsible for lulling her out of her slumber. The room is cold and she shuffles down the bed, pulling the covers over her shoulders as she rolls over onto her side. Her hands fumble for the pillow beneath her head and she plumps it up before burying her face into it, inhaling the lingering fragrance from yesterday's fresh bedsheets. Her legs are smooth and they glide over the bedsheets as she curls up into a ball.

She can feel warmth from the body beside her and she reaches for it, her cold hand touching warm skin. Callie grunts but doesn't brush her away and Arizona takes it as a sign to explore further. Her fingers slip underneath the hem of a camisole and she lightly strokes the soft belly she finds there, eventually resting on the curve of a hip.

She sighs contentedly. The duvet offers a warm cocoon and she drifts off, unaware of how long she is asleep until the shrill of the alarm jolts her awake.

Callie rolls over to silence the alarm and Arizona feels a sudden chill hit her body.

"Hey," she complains, reaching her hand out and searching for the body that she knows is nearby. She finds the top of Callie's shorts and pulls them towards her to close the gap.

Callie falls back into the spot she once occupied. Eyes cracking open slightly, Arizona feels a tug on her t-shirt and a pair of soft lips collide with hers. She smiles into the kiss and grumbles when it ends sooner than she'd like.

She opens her eyes, adjusting to the light. Callie stays close and it doesn't take much effort for Arizona to lift her head and capture her wife in another, longer kiss. She wraps her hand around Callie's neck and pulls her even closer.

"G'morning," she says with when they eventually break apart.

Callie smiles down at her, enjoying her wife's affectionate mood. "Good morning."

As Arizona's mind wakes up, she frowns. "I thought we both had the day off today?"

"We do," Callie says, peppering her face and neck with kisses.

"So why'd the alarm go off?" Arizona asks.

"We're taking a road trip."

"We are?" Arizona wonders. "Where are we going?"

Callie drops a kiss on her wife's lips. "It's a surprise."

"I hate surprises."

Callie chuckles. "I know you do. But you'll like this one."

Arizona glares at her playfully. "You think? What makes you so confident, Callie Torres?"

Callie simply smiles cockily and continues her assault of kisses.

"Is there any chance this road trip starts with breakfast in bed?" Arizona asks. "Because it's cold out there and I like it in here with you."

Callie's lips begin their descent down Arizona's neck. "How about pancakes?"

"Mmm hmm," Arizona nods, gasping as Callie's cold hands slip underneath the bed covers.

As Callie disappears under the covers, Arizona sinks into the mattress. Maybe she could learn to like surprises after all.


	10. Stubborn

Prompted on tumblr with "I'm not wearing a dress"

* * *

Arizona sat up in bed, her arms crossed defiantly.

"I'm not going."

"You have to," Callie said firmly as she hooked an earring through the hole in her ear.

"Callie c'mon, it's our first day off together in months, Sofia's at school and we have the house to ourselves. Can't we make our excuses and stay here?" Arizona pleaded, tipping her head to one side and offering a hopeful pout.

"Nope," Callie said. "The Foundation is going to be there and Jackson insists that the whole Board is there to schmooze them. So get your ass out of bed, put on that cute black dress and let's get it over with."

Arizona huffed and pulled the sheets up higher until they were tucked under her chin. "I'm not wearing a dress."

Callie bit her lip to hide a smile and rolled her eyes, amused and frustrated at the same time. This was more difficult than getting Sofia ready for school. She turned and strutted across the bedroom to the bed, sitting down and stretching one arm over Arizona's thighs to rest on the mattress. Her free hand tugged at the sheet, pulling it down to expose Arizona's shoulders. One strap of her slip fell down and Callie's gaze lingered on her collarbone, her tongue sliding over her lips instinctively. She lifted her eyes to meet Arizona's.

"How about this: we go to the lunch for an hour. Then we say your leg is really, _really_ sore because you had a super long surgery yesterday. So we make our excuses to come home and I can give you a very relaxing massage to help ease the pain."

A massage from Callie was never _just_ a massage these days. The thought alone of those strong hands on her body made Arizona ache with desire. "What about Sofia?"

"Sofia's got a play date with Grace," Callie said, inching a little closer. "So it'll just be me and you until she gets dropped off at six."

Arizona twisted her lips. "Promise?"

"Promise," Callie said with smirk, leaving forwards and brushing her lips over Arizona's.

In one callous move, she pulled away and ripped the sheets from the bed, leaving Arizona exposed to the cool, spring air.

"Hey!"


End file.
